Previse 2024: Important Mountain Peaks of India

To ace the geography and environment-related questions, UPSC aspirants must focus on the physical features of India, beyond the popular peaks.

Here are some lesser-known but geographically significant peaks that deserve your attention!

Anamudi

WHY IMPORTANT?

It is the highest peak in the Western Ghats and South India.

• Anamudi means ‘elephant’s forehead' in a literal sense because the mountain’s shape resembles an elephant's broad forehead. 
• The peak is also known as Everest of South India and is located on the border between Ernakulam and Idukki district.
• It has rich fauna, which includes the Asian elephant, gaur, lion-tailed macaque and Nilgiri langur.
• The flora includes black wood, bamboo, teak trees and the famous Neela Kurinji flower which blooms every twelve years. 

Blue Mountain or Phawngpui

WHY IMPORTANT?

It is the highest peak of Mizoram and a Mount Victoria Babax bird was seen last year for the first time in 25 years.

• The nearby Phawngpui National Park gets its name from the highest peak of Mizoram,  called Phawngpui Peak.
  • It was declared a national park in 1992.
• It is the highest point of the Mizo or Lushai Hills, which are geologically part of the Arakan Mountain range.
• Fauna found includes falcon, Blyth's tragopan, dark-rumped swift and Mrs. Hume's pheasant, which is the Mizoram state bird. Animals like slow loris, tiger, mountain goat, leopard, serow, Asiatic black bear, stump-tailed macaque etc are found.
• The hills have cultural significance for the local Mizo community.

Bailadila Range

WHY IMPORTANT?

The range is in Chattisgarh and is famous for iron ore

• Bailadila range is in Gondwana region which makes it rich in mineral resources.
• It lies in Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra, encompassing the Durg-Bastar-Chandrapur belt.
• Iron ore in very high grade hematite form is found.
• The ore has the highest physical properties needed for steel and is exported to Japan and South Korea via Visakhapatnam port.

Girnar Mountain

WHY IMPORTANT?

It is one of India's few crucial rivers with radial drainage.

• Girnar is also known as Girinagar, which means city on the hill, and is in the Junagadh District of Gujarat.
• It is one of the most ancient Hindu and Jain pilgrimage sites in India as it includes Gorakhnath peak, a Jain temple and Guru Dattatreya peak.
• It is the place where the 22nd Tirthankar Lord Neminath attained Nirvana.
• The Jain temples are sacred to the Digambara and the Svetambara sects branches of Jainism.
• A 2.3 Km long ropeway was inaugurated recently, which is claimed to be the longest temple ropeway in Asia.

We can't clear UPSC for you.

But with our personalised mentor support, you'll be ready to do it yourself.

Dhupgarh Peak 

WHY IMPORTANT?

Situated near Pachmarhi, it is the highest peak in Central India.

• Mount Dhupgarh is located in the Mahadeo Hills of Satpura Range in Madhya Pradesh.
• It is a scenic hill station located at an elevation of 1,352 meters in Pachmarhi town of Hoshangabad district.
• The hills where Mount Dhupgarh is located serve as a watershed between Narmada and Godavari rivers.
• It is a part of the Satpura biosphere reserve and includes a variety of flora and fauna. It is also a scenic place for sunsets.

Mahendragiri 

WHY IMPORTANT?

Odisha proposed a second biosphere reserve in its southern part at Mahendragiri, a hill ecosystem with rich biodiversity.

• It is the highest peak in Eastern Ghats situated at an elevation of 1,501 meters.
• The hill with its surrounding areas is a biodiversity hotspot due to many medicinal plants and species.
• It is an ecological estuary of genetic diversities because it acts as a transitional zone between the ecosystem of southern India and the Himalayas.
• It constitutes 40% of Odisha’s flora and the vegetation can be classified into Sal forest, mixed forest, shrubs and grasslands.
• Mahendragiri is inhabited by the Kandha tribe and the Soura people, a PVTG.

Kalsubai Peak

WHY IMPORTANT?

It is the highest peak of the Sahyadris in Maharashtra.

• Kalsubai Peak is located in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra. 
• The peak of Kalsubai is located 10 km away from Bhandardara dam.  
• Kalsubai has a height of 1646 meters and is known as one of the highest peaks in Maharashtra state.
• It is famous for trekking and at the summit, a small temple of Kalsubai is located

Namcha Barwa 

WHY IMPORTANT?

It is the easternmost peak of the Himalayas located in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh.

• Namcha Barwa is the Eastern point of the Himalayas at a height of about 7782 m.
• Fast-flowing rivers cut through the ranges like Namcha Barwa in north to south direction causing deep gorges.
• Largest river of North east, the Bhramaputra runs through a deep gorge, after crossing Namcha Barwa.
• Namcha Barwa is the third most prominent peak in the in Himalayas after Mount Everest and Nanga Parbat.

Mount Saramati 

WHY IMPORTANT?

It is the highest peak of the Purvanchal Hills located in Nagaland.

• Saramati peak is situated at the mountainous border of Nagaland and Mynamar.
• The region around the mountain is dissected by the Doyang and Dikhu rivers in the north, the tributaries of the Chindwin River in the southeast and the Barak in the southwest.
• At a height of 3,826 meters, it draws tourists to this tribal heritage rich state.
• It is popularly known as the Crown of Nagaland.

Next Post